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eace； and await the slow and quiet development of the brilliant future to which you are destined； without yielding to a curiosity which might； I warn you； lead to great disasters。
If you refuse to enter my plans； you will take from yourself all chance of ever penetrating a mystery which you have shown yourself so eager to understand。 But I do not admit even the supposition of your resistance； and I prefer to believe in your deference to the wishes of a father who will regard it as the finest day of his life when at last it be granted to him to reveal himself to his son。
P。S。 Your statue； which is intended for a convent of Ursuline nuns； must be in white marble。 Height： one metre seven hundred and six millimetres； in other words； five feet three inches。 As it will not be placed in a niche； you must carefully finish all sides of it。 The costs of the work are to be taken out of the two hundred and fifty thousand francs mentioned above。
This letter chilled and pained me。 In the first place； it took from me a hope long cherished；that of recovering a mother as loving as yours； of whose adorable tenderness； dear friend； you have so often told me。 After all； it was a half…light thrown upon the fogs of my life without even allowing me to know whether I was or was not the child of a legitimate marriage。 It also seemed to me that such paternal intimations addressed to a man of my age were much too despotic and imperious。 Was it not a strange proceeding to change my whole life as if I were a boy just leaving school！ At first I employed to myself all the arguments against this political vocation which you and my other friends have since addressed to me。 Nevertheless curiosity impelled me to go the Mongenods'； and finding there； sure enough； in actual； living money； the two hundred and fifty thousand francs announced to me； I was led to reason in another way。
I reflected that a will which began by making such an outlay must have something serious in it。 And inasmuch as this mysterious father knew all and I nothing； it seemed to me that to enter on a struggle with him was neither reasonable nor opportune。 In fact； had I any real repugnance to the career suggested to me？ No。 Political interests have always roused me to a certain degree； and if my electoral attempt should come to nothing； I could always return to my art without being more ridiculous than the other still…born ambitions which each new legislature produces。
Accordingly； I have bought the necessary piece of property； and made myself a shareholder in the 〃National。〃 I have also made the Saint… Ursula； and am now awaiting instructions； which seem to me rather long in coming； as to her actual destination。 Moreover； I have made known my parliamentary ambition； and the fact that I intend to stand in the coming elections。
I need not ask you to preserve the utmost secrecy about my present confidence。 Discretion is a virtue which you practise； to my knowledge； in too signal a manner to need any exhorting thereto from me。 But I am wrong； dear friend； in making these unkind allusions to the past； for at this moment I am； more perhaps than you know； the obliged party。 Partly out of interest in me； but more because of the general aversion your brother…in…law's extreme haughtiness inspires； the democratic party has flocked to my door to make inquiries about my wound； and the talk and excitement about this duel have served me well； there is no doubt that my candidacy has gained much ground。 Therefore； I say； a truce to your gratitude； do you not see how much I owe to you？
X
DORLANGE TO MARIE…GASTON
Paris； April； 1839。
Dear Friend；For better or for worse； I continue my candidacy without a constituency to elect me。 This surprises my friends and worries me； for it is only a few weeks now to the general election； and if it happens that all this mysterious 〃preparation〃 comes to nought； a pretty figure I shall cut in the caricatures of Monsieur Bixiou； of whose malicious remarks on the subject you lately wrote me。
One thing reassures me： it does not seem likely that any one would have sown two hundred and fifty thousand francs in my electoral furrow without feeling pretty sure of gathering a harvest。 Perhaps； to take a cheerful view of the matter； this very slowness may be considered as showing great confidence of success。
However that may be； I am kept by this long delay in a state of inaction which weighs upon me。 Astride as it were of two existences； one in which I have not set foot； the other in which my foot still lingers；I have no heart to undertake real work； I am like a traveller who； having arrived before the hour when the diligence starts； does not know what to do with his person nor how to spend his time。 You will not complain； I think； that I turn this enforced /far niente/ to the profit of our correspondence； and now that I am thus at leisure； I shall take up two points in your last letter which did not seem to me of sufficient importance to pay much attention to at the time： I refer to your warning that my parliamentary pretensions did not meet the approval of Monsieur Bixiou； and to your suggestion that I might expose myself to falling in love with Madame de l'Estoradeif I were not in love with her already。 Let us discuss； in the first instance； Monsieur Bixiou's grand disapprobationjust as we used to talk in the olden time of the grand treachery of Monsieur de Mirabeau。
I'll describe that man to you in a single word。 Envy。 In Monsieur Bixiou there is； unquestionably； the makings of a great artist； but in the economy of his existence the belly has annihilated the heart and the head； and he is now and forever under the dominion of sensual appetites； he is riveted to the condition of a /caricaturist/；that is to say； to the condition of a man who from day to day discounts himself in petty products； regular galley…slave pot…boilers； which； to be sure； give him a lively living； but in themselves are worthless and have no future。 With talents misused and now impotent； he has in his mind； as he has on his face； that everlasting and despairing /grin/ which human thought instinctively attributes to fallen angels。 Just as the Spirit of darkness attacks； in preference； great saints because they recall to him most bitterly the angelic nature from which he has fallen； so Monsieur Bixiou delights to slaver the talents and characters of those who he sees have courageously refused to squander their strength； sap； and aims as he has done。
But the thing which ought to reassure you somewhat as to the danger of his calumny and his slander （for he employs both forms of backbiting） is that at the very time when he believes he is making a burlesque autopsy of me he is actually an obedient puppet whose wire I hold in my hands； and whom I am making talk as I please。 Being convinced that a certain amount of noisy discussion would advance my political career； I looked about me for what I may call a public crier。 Among these circus trumpets； if I could have found one with a sharper tone； a more deafening blare than Bixiou's； I would have chosen it。 As it was； I have profited by the malevolent curiosity which induces that amiable lepidopter t